A/N - Thankyou for all the lovely feedback for this story. It really helped me keep going when my brain was struggling with sickness and stress! I hope you enjoyed the story. Not sure what is going to come next, but I hope you come along for the ride.

A/N II - One last sexytime, just because it was requested!

It was done so quietly, the Westerlund News Network never even got wind. Jenna Alenko was quietly arrested, deported back to Earth and swiftly trialed in a closed court.

There was a public announcement that Lieutenant Aalia Cooper was cleared of all charges.

Captain Vaea Shepard politely refused the offer of a position within the Systems Alliance, much to the relief of her multi-species crew. And when Kaidan Alenko tried to see her again, she refused, the message delivered by Jack in her inimitable way.

Garrus Vakarian officially handed in his resignation as Spectre to the protests of the Council. And when he sent a message to Shepard to ask if she would join him at his old apartment, she replied in the affirmative. Jack gave a hoot and bought her black lingerie with some slink to it.

Shepard made her way to the apartment at the appointed hour, with nerves oddly coiling in her gut.

Garrus was waiting for her at the front door. He wore a casual tunic that looked as though it had seen better days; faded and soft to the touch. She stared at him wordlessly. He held out a hand and his voice soft in greeting, "Vaea..." She gave a quirk of a smile and slid her fingers into his own.

He tugged her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly. Her face was flushed when they separated. Her hand rested on his chest and knew he was not unaffected as his heart thudded rapidly.

"I heard that you had handed in your notice," Shepard spoke quietly.

"It seemed appropriate," Garrus drew her into the apartment. It was quite bare, only a few items of furniture.

"You are returning to Omega?" she asked awkwardly.

"Perhaps," they stood in the sitting room, bare but for a wellworn couch. Garrus held her hand tightly.

"I am leaving the Citadel tomorrow," Shepard admitted, staring down at their linked fingers.

"You refused the Admiral's offer?"

"I owe my allegience to none but myself," Shepard glanced up at him, a small smile curving her lips, "and my crew. And I suppose, your father."

"Ahh yes," Garrus brushed the back of his knuckles over her cheek, "My father."

Shepard reached up with her free hand and touched his wrist gently, "I will miss you."

The pads of his fingertips splayed over her jaw and slid up into her hair. He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

"And I you," Garrus replied after a moment, his gaze affixed on hers.

Shepard traced his jaw with gentle fingers, "You can stop protecting me now. It is done."

Garrus' mandibles flicked against her touch. He drew her into an embrace again, and his voice was a low rumble, "I will always protect you, Vaea."

"I don't need it anymore," Shepard's voice was soft.

"No, you don't," Garrus murmured, his hands sliding over the long lines of her spine, "But I cannot help but hope that one day you will want it."

Shepard frowned, "I don't know that I understand."

Garrus kissed her gently, before explaining, "I hope that you will want me, Vaea. As I have asked of you, perhaps you will want me enough to ask me to stay with you."

"Tonight? Of course…" Shepard was confused, "That's why…"

"No, Vaea," Garrus cupped her cheek and regarded her intently, "Not just tonight. Always."

Shepard's eyes met his own with a flicker of panic in their depths, "I…don't…"

Garrus took a slow breath, and nodded, "I will be satisfied with tonight."

Shepard leaned forward and kissed him. Hard. Her hands slid over his chest and up to his neck to link there and hold him close. He picked her up, one arm beneath the crook of her knees, the other across her back and strode toward the bedroom. He laid her reverently on the tidily made bed.

"I do love you, Garrus," Shepard bracketed his face with her soft palms, she kissed him before he could lever himself away and divest of his clothing, "You know that, right?"

Garrus smiled, "Yes, my love, I know that."

Shepard hid her flushed face for a moment as she yanked her tunic over her head and tossed it on the floor. She pulled off her boots and wriggled from her pants, revealing the silk lingerie she had donned for the occasion. His hands paused in undoing the clasp of his pants at his hips and he made an appreciative rumble in his chest.

When Garrus joined her on the bed, his chest to her side, he stroked the skin of her neck with a reverent finger before skimming down to swirl the talon around her areolae. It peaked instantly, pressing against the black fabric. Shepard made a small sound in the back of her throat and squirmed a little. She bit her lower lip.

Garrus smoothed his fingers over the curve of her waist, the arch of her hip, catching the side string of her panties and slid them down to her knee. The scrap of black silk was tossed to the floor and skimming talons up the smooth skin of her calf, he tugged her knee toward him, against his hip and pulled her groin against the thigh that he pressed firmly against her. Shepard blinked dazedly, and rocked herself against the ridged plates that covered him. Her breasts pressed against his chest, the thin film of fabric separating them. She leaned forward and kissed his jaw, trailing her tongue along the lithe mandibles before pressing against his lip plates. As his talons traced shivering lines along her thigh, she teased his mouth open, cautious against the prick of his teeth. The metallic tang of his saliva combined with her own as his tongue stroked her own.

Shepard made a whimpering sound at the brush of his knuckles against her groin and sucked his tongue into her mouth. She bit down gently and he growled low in his throat. She closed her eyes as a single digit entered her heat. She rocked against his hand.

"Garrus…" she murmured against his lips, and shifted so her lips found the soft skin of his throat. He tilted his chin and groaned as her tongue explored the rough textured skin, and found those sensitive spots she knew well. She smiled as she felt the nudge of his length against her thigh, and murmured against his neck, "Make love to me, Garrus."

But he pulled away. She glanced at him, startled, "What's wrong?" He just smiled, and using his not inconsiderable strength, rolled onto his back and tugged her up to straddle his chest. He yanked the pillow roll he normally slept on and put it under his neck so his fringe didn't crush and placing his hands upon her hips, pulled her up toward his mouth. With her thighs either side of his head, he dipped his tongue into her folds.

Shepard cried out, and arched her back. She was forced to clutch the bed head in a white knuckled grasp. Garrus' hands scraped delicately against the skin of her back, leaving the lightest of red lines on the smooth plane. His tongue thrust into her heat and he held her firm against him while he explored.

Shepard shuddered and cried out again, the distinctly strange sensation of pleasure coming from a tongue that was almost as long and thick as a man's… "Oh gods!" she shrieked as he hit a particularly sensitive spot. She jerked in his arms and he pulled out.

"Sorry, did I…" his brow plates frowned.

"Don't stop!" Shepard growled and tugged him back into place.

He made the rumbling sound of a laugh and she groaned as it vibrated through her. She ground herself against him, his tongue working it's magic. He barely managed to hold her still enough. His own erection pulsated against his lower belly, but he tamped his desire down.

He could feel her clenching around him, the sounds she was making clearly indicating she was close to release. But she reluctantly pulled herself up and off him. Garrus made a sound of surprise. She leaned down to kiss him and could taste herself on his tongue.

Shepard straddled his hips, and with her tongue toying with his own, she reached between them and notched his length against her opening. She took a single deep breath, their kiss pausing, as she concentrated on thrusting slowly down. She bit her lower lip, reddening the soft skin and her eyes closed.

"Look at me," Garrus demanded, his hand tangling in her hair, his other hand clutching at her backside.

She opened her eyes, and stared at him with eyes made dark with arousal.

"You beautiful, amazing woman," he murmured, struggling to hold himself still as she rode him slowly, the strong muscles of her thighs flexing with her every motion.

She released the breath she was holding with a gasp and paused, her hands splayed on his chest, her face flushed. Garrus lifted his legs slightly to gain purchase with his heels, and slowly thrust upwards. He watched her face grow slack with pleasure, and the hands clench at his chest. He did it again. And again. And shortly she joined him, thrust for thrust. He drove in and out of her body, and their breaths came in gasps and sobs as they tried to outrun the pounding of their hearts. Her hand slid down between them and she pressed her fingers against the tiny knot of nerve endings at the apex of her thighs.

"Oh gods," she gasped, "Oh…yes…"

He slammed harder into her and the ridged length of him thickened and darkened with his approaching crest. With a wild cry she beat him there, though with but a half dozen more thrusts, he pulled himself from her heat and spent himself upon her belly. She collapsed upon him and struggled to bring her breathing under control.

For long minutes they lay there silently, their breathing in sync, thundering hearts slowing to normal rhythms. And it was not too much longer before Garrus realised she had fallen asleep. He huffed a soft laugh and eased her weight off him. She muttered something unintelligible and tucked herself against him, her back to his chest.

He pulled up the blankets that had been tossed aside in their passion and wrapping his arms around her, drifted off himself.

Shepard started awake and struggled briefly against the weight that lay across her back and legs. It took a few moments to realise where she was and that she was not tied down. Garrus had merely thrown an arm over her in sleep, and one of his hard, heavy legs was entangled with hers.

"Vaea?" Garrus asked sleepily. She was lying on her front and struggled to turn over. He lifted off the weight of his arm, before tucking her firmly against his chest.

She pressed her hand over his heart and rested her cheek upon it. Her eyes were wide in the still-dark apartment.

"I can hear you thinking," he rumbled, "What is going on in that busy brain?"

"I was just…wishing I didn't have to leave yet," Shepard's voice was laced with regret.

"You don't," his arms tightened.

"I do," her fingertips outlined one of his silvery-grey metallic chest plates. She lapsed into silence before sighing and levering herself up and out of his bed. She tugged on her pants, and stared at him with an expression of bone deep weariness.

"Thank you," she began, "For…" and gestured a little helplessly, "..everything."

Shepard watched him climb out of bed and tug on his own pants. She slipped her tunic on and watched wordlessly as he approached. His broad palms cupped her face and he bent down and gave her a heartachingly tender kiss.

"You are welcome," came the rumbling reply.

Shepard stepped back out of his touch and turned with obvious regret toward the doorway. She paused and glanced back, watching him watch her departure with an expression of deep sadness in her eyes.

"See you soon?" her voice cracked despite herself.

Garrus just nodded, unwilling to trust his own voice to remain steady.

And she was gone.

Jack scowled at Shepard, "Are you insane?"

"Probably," Shepard rubbed her brow.

"You told him you loved him…and just…walked away?" Jack paced the floor of Shepard's cabin and threw out a heavily tattooed arm to punctuate her disapproval. A picture on the wall slid off and crashed to the floor. Jack grumbled, "Shit. Sorry."

"Don't destroy my cabin, if you please," Shepard snapped with irritation.

"Don't change the subject," Jack rounded back on her, "I thought you had your shit sorted, Shepard! You were cleared, you still have your ship, your crew and…your freedom. And you have the guy."

Shepard scrubbed her hands through the already tempestuous strands of her hair, making it stand up on end, and snapped out in frustration, "I don't know what I'm doing, Jack! I haven't a fucking clue."

"Hells, woman, who does?" Jack pointed her finger at Shepard, "Fix this. Get his turian ass on this ship."

"Just like that?"

"Just fucking like that," Jack pointed at the comm unit on the low table between them. The biotic strode toward the door.

"What do I say?" the bewildered voice came from the sitting area. Jack turned around.

"That you were a total dumbass and made a mistake?"

"Not helpful, Jack,"

Jack sighed, "He won't care what you say, Shep, just how you say it. I'm gonna go talk to Moreau. Tell him to hold off on leaving."

Shepard just rubbed her brow as Jack left. She picked up the comm and tucked it into her ear. She activated her omnitool. And hit the relevant numbers.

"Garrus?" she spoke nervously when he answered, "I changed my mind. I want you to stay."

A pause.

"Garrus?" she tapped her ear piece. He had hung up on her. She frowned and tipped her head back against her couch, and tossed the comm unit on the table. She closed her eyes and sighed. Time to make tracks then. She stood up slowly, and walked out of her cabin to the elevator.

"Uhhh, Shepard?" Nara spoke over the ship's comm, "Garrus Vakarian is requesting permission to come aboard."

A smile curved her lips and she opened eyes bright with hope. Her hand slammed the button for the bridge.

"Permission granted."